1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a braiding apparatus for a tubular braid structure, for example, such as a Y-shape, which principally uses a core of fiber reinforced plastic (hereinafter referred to as FRP) using a thermosetting resin or a fiber reinforced plastic (hereinafter referred to as FRTP) using a thermoplastic resin and has portions branched in plural at a small angle from a main portion.
2. Related Art Statement
There have been already proposed by the present applicant methods and apparatus which use a tubular braid machine having a relatively large annular guide disposed in a central portion and upwardly thereof and in which a mandrel is raised, lowered or rotated to braid a fiber bundle on the surface of a T-shaped or a cross-shaped mandrel to produce a T-shape or a cross-shape tubular braid structure (see Japanese Patent Application Nos. 223852/1990, 296984/1990, etc.).
A tubular braid structure of a Y-shape or the like having portions branched in plural at a small angle from a main portion could not be braided by the aforementioned braiding apparatus for a tubular braid structure.